Hopatcong - Fall Fishing - Nighttime

[MMartin730]

Hey guys. I've been reading different posts about Lake Hopatcong fishing and it seems very impressive. I've never fished there though, but once was on my buddy's boat while he was trolling for musky.

Are there any pointers for late september through october?

Usually I have been a bass fisherman only the past couple years.. this mid summer I have ventured into Nighttime Walleye in Greenwood Lake due to an engine upgrade and been semi successful earlier in the summer (a few nights of multiple 4+lbers). Haven't had a "good" catch or even a walleye in a while so looking to change things up.

I have still been trying night time fishing without too much success the past couple weeks.. was thinking about changing to Hopatcong to try things out. Someone I just met was telling me Walleye and Hybrids are good for nighttime fishing at Hopatcong this time of the year, shallows, top water..

In Greenwood I was targeting rocky dropoffs for the Walleye and they don't have stripers so I am a bit new to them. The only striper I ever caught was a local resivoir on chicken livers. Looking to use lures.

Any help would be appreciated, the only launch i know is Lee's Marina... not sure if any place allows night time launching either there..

Sorry, total noob when it comes to Hopatcong, rookie with walleyes, but pretty good with LM and SM bass, pickerel, etc.

[JackStraw]

Lee's Marina is open 24 hours until the end of November depending on the water level. As far as pointers, they're already in your post.

[tycomps]

Originally Posted by MMartin730

Hey guys. I've been reading different posts about Lake Hopatcong fishing and it seems very impressive. I've never fished there though, but once was on my buddy's boat while he was trolling for musky.

Are there any pointers for late september through october?

Usually I have been a bass fisherman only the past couple years.. this mid summer I have ventured into Nighttime Walleye in Greenwood Lake due to an engine upgrade and been semi successful earlier in the summer (a few nights of multiple 4+lbers). Haven't had a "good" catch or even a walleye in a while so looking to change things up.

I have still been trying night time fishing without too much success the past couple weeks.. was thinking about changing to Hopatcong to try things out. Someone I just met was telling me Walleye and Hybrids are good for nighttime fishing at Hopatcong this time of the year, shallows, top water..

In Greenwood I was targeting rocky dropoffs for the Walleye and they don't have stripers so I am a bit new to them. The only striper I ever caught was a local resivoir on chicken livers. Looking to use lures.

Any help would be appreciated, the only launch i know is Lee's Marina... not sure if any place allows night time launching either there..

Sorry, total noob when it comes to Hopatcong, rookie with walleyes, but pretty good with LM and SM bass, pickerel, etc.

http://www.kneedeepclub.org/

[MMartin730]

Thanks for the responses. I guess my more direct questions are.. for walleye I would use the following types of lures:

Large stick baits? i.e. F-18 rapala/F-13 rapala, which is there any stores that stock the F-18 around?? All the local places seem to stop at F-13.. and the lips break off these every few weeks!! (looking for replacement lips if anyone knows..) Top water baits? i.e. Whopper plopper, jiggerbug, spook Color: Chartrouse and Black/dark colors?

Any of the jointed lures like the FJ-13+ decent there?

I'm going to go over a map this week to pick out places to start but the last question is.. is this time of the year decent for walleye and hybrid night fishing at hapatcong? It slowed down at the end of august for me at greenwood and im only starting to dab into the night fishing and completely new to LH.

I know I am asking kinda specific things but trying to hit the ground running fishing wise while navigating the new lake at night is going to be priority once i launch seeing i am not completely familiar with it.

[Jigman13]

Not the best time of yr for those lures. Fish start holding deeper.

[MMartin730]

Originally Posted by Jigman13

Not the best time of yr for those lures. Fish start holding deeper.

So you think rather than casting towards shore, using electronics and finding the structure would produce better?

I was thinking Spring into summer with about these water temps i would be going into the shallows.. was thinking a similar scenerio as the lake turns over for the fall with the mid to high 70's water temp.. am I wrong thinking this?

[Jigman13]

Pretty sure bait starts to hold deeper and predatory fish follow suit. You're not fishing the alewife spawn anymore

[NJSquatch]

Go deeper like Jigman has suggested...find the bait and you will find the fish

[Skunk City]

The fish move deeper in the fall, think jigs or herring near the bottom. Structure and dropoffs..

[MMartin730]

I just want to confirm that you guys are saying the fish are still deep at night time as well? This is all helpful.. just thinking if I am not gaining much by going at night, i might as well go during the day.. just never caught a walleye during the day to be honest.

Thanks!!